Pretty nice morale boost day for Dems pollwise. Bennett back ahead, White deadlocked with Perry in TX, chaos up in AK - we could use more days like this.

And boy are they getting panicky in DE. I don't blame them, because if O'Donnell wins, it's far worse than Miller beating Murkowski. Miller at least stands a good chance of victory. If O'Donnell wins, the GOP has basically forfeited the race and told Chris Coons, "Here's a Senate seat. Consider it an early Christmas present."

Hickenlooper is the real stuff!

He was one of the pioneers of the craftbrewing industry, he's a geologist, has owned several successful restaurants, and he has been a successful mayor of Denver. He's thoughtful and funny and an all-round swell guy with a wonderful family.

The GOP has been completely unable to run its usual grainy photo and scary music ads against Hick because he's not a lawyer or a lobbyist, he hasn't raised taxes, and he's not an islamofascist socialist or whatever the favored boogeyman is this week.

Win!

It would be so nice for the Dems if Murkowski decided to run as a write-in candidate. This is a bone-simple analysis that even she could do, but she might feel that the guy who beat her is just too nuts to be elected, even by an indifferent electorate. Or she might let her inner narcissist guide her actions.

Quaker, @12:31

But, but... Didn't I hear that he rides a bike? And wants all the couch potatoes to ride bikes also, too? Do you have any idea how many people would die of heart attacks, if he had his way? The man is a death panel all by himself...

His Honor, Mayor Emanuel.

I think that's what will happen. He's gone as far as he can go in DC, and at this point he's not very popular there. Obama would like to make a change...

...and he's one of Daley's boys. Rham will be Emperor of Chicago as long as he wants it.

I'll miss Daley. Say what you want about him but he took a dark, dingy city and pulled it out of the grim days of Bilandec, Byrne and Washington and turned it into a jewel.

Rathskeller, @12:48

How many Repubs in Alaska can spell "Murkowski"? Misspelled write-ins aren't counted. Yeah, it would be nice for us (who cares whether their split votes are counted or tossed) but she probably knows her constituency well enough not to go that route.

I'm finally starting to feel a little bit of optimism about the midterms. Like maybe the Dems won't be completely destroyed. And maybe after almost losing his seat to a nutcase will finally help Reid grow a spine. Maybe.

Rick Perry is in a bind - he refuses to debate Bill White and is essentially trying to duck voters and reporters. Just another campaign tactic borrowed by many crazy Republicans this election year...hide 'em away before they can stick their feet in their mouths any more than they already have. I'm hoping it's too late for Perry but, Texas being Texas, we'll just have to wait.

If Ken Buck beats Mike Bennett in Colorado it's time to write the eulogy for this country. Ken Buck, as Steve has noted, is insane. Openly, proudly insane. Not Dan Maes insane maybe, but close on his heels. Or at least he's pretending to be that insane to get the votes of the insane. Either way, it bodes ill that he's even polling above single digits.

as a chicagoan and a resident of il-5 (and someone who's voted for him in the past), i'd LOVE to see rahm run for mayor.
i wouldn't vote for him, of course, but it would be nice to get him out of the white house.

@mellowjohn,

Precisely. And, icing on the cake, the bruited replacement is Valerie Jarrett.

truth=freedom,

im from florida. if the republic can withstand the election of paula hawkins to senate back in the '80s, i'm sure we can survive ken buck. but let's hope we don't have to find out.

I'll miss Daley. Say what you want about him but he took a dark, dingy city and pulled it out of the grim days of Bilandec, Byrne and Washington and turned it into a jewel.

Is this a joke?

The city's finances are in shambles ( a record budget deficit of $655 million, and rising). Massive cuts to public transit, health and education that will continue long after Daley II is gone. The $40 million a year Hired-Truck payola scandal, the $475 million (three times its original projected cost) Millennium Park boondoggle, the billion dollar parking meter fiasco, and Daley's masterpiece, his $1.5 billion (and still going) Tax Increment Financing program.

That last one should be more accurately described as "Golden TIF". As in gold for a select group of developers, hedge funds and residents of 3 of Chicago's 50 wards. Golden showers for the rest of the city as they get to read about yet another swank high-rise going-up in River North, while they stare out their windows at abandoned lots and crumbling sidewalks. And if they get depressed by the realization that the million or so dollars of tax revenues that were diverted away from the city's budget in order to entice that developer to take a chance on the already wealthiest section of the city means even less services for them, well, they can always take a ride downtown and get their picture taken in front of The Bean. Of course, with the cuts to the CTA, they may have to wait longer for that bus or train, but when they get there, the beauty and splendor will make take their breath away.

For most of its residents and geography, Daley has gutted this city in ways his predecessors could never dream of. And you're doing cartwheels because the Loop looks pretty?

Did it ever occur to you Zak that maybe one of the reasons Bilandec, Byrne and Washington didn't enrich their cronies with a colossal, concentrated downtown/lakefront gentrification agenda was that they were a little less comfortable screwing the poor and middle class than Daley Jr. is?

What's the latest on the CO proposition that would require the state govt to pay cash for all expenditures, including capital expenditures?

It is the single, most insane ballot proposition I've ever heard of. And I'm in California!